Maroon Bells–Snowmass Wilderness · Elk Mountains, Colorado
West Maroon Pass to Schofield Park
A difficult point-to-point crossing from Maroon Lake Trailhead → Schofield Park Trailhead over West Maroon Pass. Schofield Park—not Crested Butte town—is the walking exit, and this exact Wild Chime trip reserves one Maroon Zone night before the pass.
Maroon Lake to Schofield Park via West Maroon Pass
Read the one night . For this exact one-night trip and the permit locations that fit your saved party. The permit on Recreation.gov
The crossing. The shape of it
The route climbs steadily to the divide, then drops to Schofield Park.
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The divide · mile 6.14
West Maroon Pass ≈12,500 ft The exposed crest is the route high point; the measured profile then descends continuously toward Schofield Park.
- Maroon Lake Entry trailhead
- Crater Lake Approach landmark; not this watch
- Maroon Zone Night 1 permit area
- Stream crossings High-water hazards
- Tundra climb Willow, switchbacks, traverse
- West Maroon Pass About 12,500 feet
- Frigid Air junction Continue straight
- Hasley Basin junction Turn left
- Schofield Park Exit trailhead; arrange pickup
- Route length
- ≈11 miles
- High point
- ≈12,500 ft
- Shape
- Point to point
- This itinerary
- 1 night / 2 trail days
- Difficulty
- Difficult
This catalog pattern reserves the Maroon Zone before West Maroon Pass, then crosses to the Schofield Park trail exit. The sequence is orientation—not turn-by-turn navigation, a mileage scale, or a prescribed two-day schedule.
From Maroon Lake, follow the Crater Lake approach and take the left fork onto West Maroon Trail #1970. This exact overnight pattern uses an established site in the Maroon Zone before the pass. Crater Lake lies on the approach, but its designated campsites are a different permit option and are not included in this watch.
Beyond the stream crossings, the trail climbs through willow and tundra to steep switchbacks and the pass. Descend the west-side scree and meadows, continue straight at the Frigid Air junction, then turn left at the Hasley Basin junction for Schofield Park. The route name says Crested Butte, but the trail does not continue to town.
Night by night
One night before the pass
This point-to-point trip reserves one Maroon Zone night on the Aspen side of the divide. It fixes the permit order, not a daily mileage plan or a campsite coordinate.
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N1
Maroon Zone
Permit option matched to your party size · advance reservation
Leave Maroon Lake, pass Crater Lake, and use an already-established campsite inside Maroon Zone before crossing West Maroon Pass toward Schofield Park.
Maroon Zone · Established dispersed zone · party-matched permit option
- Maroon Zone Small Group Dispersed
- Maroon Zone Large Group
Reserve an established site inside Maroon Zone for the camping night before West Maroon Pass. Crater Lake is on the route, not in this watch.
- Over
- West Maroon Pass follows
- Camp elevation
- Varies by established site
- Water
- Treat natural sources
On the ground. Crater Lake is an approach landmark with a separate designated-campsite permit option. It is not included in this watch.
The permit
How this one-zone permit actually works
The reservation covers one Maroon Zone camping night. Maroon Lake access, Schofield Park pickup, trail conditions, and successful checkout remain separate.
- One exact zone-date
- The Maroon Zone permit option that fits the saved party must be available for the saved trip start date. Crater Lake or another zone does not complete this watch.
- Required for zone camping
- An overnight permit is required year-round for camping in the mapped advance-reservation zone. A day hike does not use this camping reservation.
- Watch range one through ten
- Wild Chime selects the Maroon Zone permit option that fits the saved party: small group for one through four, large group for five through ten.
- The permit selects a zone
- Maroon is an established dispersed zone, not a numbered campsite. Choose an already-established site inside its official boundary.
- Recreation.gov owns the release
- Reserve online through the current release cycle. Canceled inventory may return within 24 hours, but no exact return minute is promised.
- Both endpoints are separate
- The permit includes neither Maroon Lake parking or shuttle access nor transportation from Schofield Park. Arrange and recheck both ends independently.
- Print before departure
- Printing opens 14 days before entry. The holder or named alternate must carry the printed permit and photo ID; changes and cancellation stop after printing.
Primary planning intent
West Maroon crossing answers.
The walking route ends at Schofield Park, not in Crested Butte town, and its one Maroon Zone night comes before the pass.
Where does the trail portion end?
The catalog route ends at Schofield Park Trailhead. Any onward ride to Crested Butte is separate transport, not trail mileage.
Hiking to Aspen from Crested ButteWhich night is reserved?
This exact trip reserves one Maroon Zone night before crossing West Maroon Pass. It does not substitute another nearby permit area.
Maroon Bells–Snowmass Wilderness permit-zone mapIs two-endpoint access included?
No. Maroon Lake parking or bus access and the Schofield Park pickup must be arranged separately from the wilderness permit.
Maroon Bells Scenic AreaHard-won
Worth knowing before you go
Permit-boundary, high-water, and two-endpoint logistics that matter before this crossing.
Schofield Park is the finish
“Aspen to Crested Butte” is the route name. The walking route ends at Schofield Park Trailhead, not in Crested Butte town.
Passing it does not reserve it
Crater Lake designated campsites use a different permit option and are outside this exact watch.
High water changes the problem
The Forest Service identifies two stream crossings and warns that the first can be dangerous during high spring runoff.
The pass is weather, not scenery
The open tundra and crest are exposed to fast-changing conditions and common afternoon thunderstorms; keep reassessing the plan.
Arrange the return before walking
Confirm Maroon Lake access and a Schofield Park pickup independently. The permit supplies neither ride and makes no road-access promise.
Questions
West Maroon crossing, asked and answered
Does this trail end in Crested Butte town?
No. This exact catalog route ends at Schofield Park Trailhead. Arrange onward transportation and recheck current west-side road conditions before departure.
Where is the one permit night?
Night 1 is inside Maroon Zone before West Maroon Pass in the Maroon Lake-to-Schofield direction. Use an already-established dispersed site inside the zone.
Does the square mark a reserved campsite?
No. It marks one measured point where the route lies inside Maroon Zone. The permit reserves the zone, not that point or a numbered site.
Can this watch be used for a Crater Lake campsite?
No. The route passes Crater Lake, but its designated campsites are a separate permit option. This watch is only for the Maroon Zone permit option that fits the saved party.
Does the permit include either trailhead ride?
No. Maroon Lake parking or shuttle access is separate, and pickup from Schofield Park must be arranged independently. Wild Chime watches neither endpoint’s transportation.
Which Maroon Zone permit option will Wild Chime watch?
Wild Chime selects Maroon Zone Small Group Dispersed for one through four people and Maroon Zone Large Group for five through ten people.
Keep the intent distinct
More trips in Maroon Bells–Snowmass Wilderness.
Compare exact permit-night orders rather than substituting a nearby route or reversing the dates.
Exact-trip availability
Watch West Maroon Pass to Schofield Park.
Start with this exact direction, overnight order, and the permit locations that fit the saved party. Wild Chime reports qualifying openings; it never books or holds them.
For this exact one-night trip and the permit locations that fit your saved party.
Review the current permit on Recreation.gov